The present invention is related generally to casino gaming systems and more specifically to casino gaming progressive meter systems and methods. Conventional progressive gaming systems are generally known in which multiple gaming devices are interconnected and bonus games and/or an incrementally varying jackpot amount based on a percentage of total amounts played can be won. Generally, the gaming devices report coin-in and game-win information, which enable jackpot increments to be generated for transmission back to the gaming devices. While progressive gaming systems have proved successful, the prospect for increased participation by current or additional players and increased generation of excitement continue to exist. A conventional progressive gaming system typically has a central controller that communicates with nodes at each gaming machine or input device to which the system is connected. A progressive meter system may typically have a node or monitoring device in a gaming machine that reads data from the gaming machine and communicates the data to a central controller for processing of the data. Decisions made upon the basis of the data by the central controller are generally of a predetermined nature and may be of a type to encourage and enhance player participation. Payment of a large award (progressive jackpot) upon a game upon a gaming machine arriving at a predetermined outcome is a common function of a progressive meter system. Amount of the large progressive jackpot is typically derived by assigning a percentage of each coin played upon any gaming machine being attached to the progressive system (the progressive link) for summation into the progressive jackpot that is then prominently displayed to players to enhance the playing experience. It is known that administrators of such conventional progressive systems have encountered difficulty in retrieving centrally stored data to accomplish proper functioning of the gaming system. This situation can occur, for example, when stored data becomes corrupt or becomes lost for any number of reasons; accordingly, multiple copies of data reside upon the central controller and are checked against each other frequently. Nevertheless, it is believed that such conventional gaming systems were popular not only because controller costs were generally high but also due to the increased complexity required to implement decentralized processing systems.
Gaming jurisdictions may require that any progressive jackpot displayed be available for win and that the probability of a winning outcome be the same from game to game on any gaming apparatus playing a progressive game. Consequently, display of a progressive jackpot available for win that is not correct (larger than actual value) can result in a large loss for an operator of gaming machines since many gaming jurisdictions will require that it be paid if won before the amount displayed can be adjusted downward.
There are three recognized categories into which a progressive meter system may be classified: stand-alone, link progressive and wide area progressive (WAP). A stand-alone progressive meter is connected only to a single gaming apparatus and performs its actions based solely upon data from the gaming apparatus to which it is connected. A link progressive system connects multiple gaming machines and data from all connected machines is processed at a central controller. A link progressive typically connects only machines that are locally present upon a gaming property. A wide area progressive (WAP) connects many gaming machines at many properties and may include local link progressive systems at properties connected to the WAP. An example of a WAP is Megabucks® which is registered, owned and operated by International Game Technology.
Generally link progressive meter systems and WAPs communicate with the central controller through known methods and protocols. In the case of a link progressive system, communication is normally by some sort of serial data link. In the case of a WAP, communication with the central controller is through leased telecommunications lines or channels. Every effort is made to communicate a major event to the central controller as quickly as possible. Generally the major event is the win of a large award by a player of a machine connected to the link progressive system, to the WAP or both. There is a great amount of concern that multiple games connected to a link could win a large progressive award simultaneously or at least within a few seconds of each other. Typically when a win of the progressive award occurs, the gaming apparatus attached to the link signals the central controller that the win has occurred, the gaming apparatus upon which the winning game was played is prevented from further play, the amount of award that is available for win by any other device connected to the link is adjusted to a predetermined amount (reset amount) and the reset amount is communicated by the central controller to all devices connected to the link. This procedure is common to all progressive meter systems. Payment of the large progressive win is normally made immediately to the player of the game that won the award. Therefore, there is a need to resolve one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages of conventional gaming systems and the present invention meets this need.